Hunting, HSUS, and the NRA

I just got done reading several articles from several puplications on the subject of hunter replacement ratios (i.e. for every one hunter who passes on, how many replace him). Ideally you want a 1:1 ratio or better. The articles essentially described how the states who have the most stringent youth hunting guidelines in the nation also have the lowest hunter replacement ratio. That is, the states with the highest minimum age for hunting, have the fewest number of new hunters. There are six states in the nation who do not have minimum age limits, allof which have replacement ratios of 1:1 or better. Hmmmmm......maybe we should start teaching kids about responsibility and decision making at the ages at which we used to and not coddle them until they are 18.

For any of you skeptics consider this:
The Humane Society of The U.S. (HSUS) has proposed that a federal law be enacted to make 18 the minimum age to hunt, declaring that those under 18 lack the maturity to handle a firearm safely. Why would they seek to place such restrictions on hunting unless it was beneficial to their anti-hunting/anti-gun agenda they so unceasingly cram down our throats. Beware the HSUS and further limitations on hunting.

That's absolutely right Ithaca. And many of these same states that have a low ratio are instituting youth hunt days.
If something isn't done right away about this problem, more and more states will be facing even more serious problems with overpopulation of wild game, disease, etc.
HSUS knows that the total number of hunters in the US is dropping and have discovered that targeting age limits is a good way to go.
Kids, especially in states rich in hunting tradition need to tell the education gurus to go to hell and we need to bring back hunter education in our schools at a very young age.

They believe that by eliminating hunting they can eliminate gun ownership. They may very well be right. With the NRA and the like focusing on some "Hunting heritage" BS as the justification for the 2nd ammendment, they will have nothing to justify private ownership of firearms with if hunting is gone. They should instead focus on the fact that the 2nd ammend. is there to provide the populous with a means to overthrow the govt should it no longer represent their best interests.......this is why I will never join the NRA, sadly they are actually facilitating the anti-gunners efforts.

I agree that with the elimination of hunting, some people, even hunters past, will think there is no need to keep a gun. This is clearly a minority. The vast majority of gun owners, keep them because of the reasons you state and more.

Although the NRA is not perfect and I am not attempting to sell anyone on the NRA, they are a powerful voice and can do alot for gun owners.

You stated in another post that HSUS is targeting age groups and they are. If the NRA has enough people on the ball, they will go with the changes that those opposed to gun ownership are instituting and make the changes as well.

The NRA seems to be more of a reactionary entity - in that when an event occurs they go fight it if they deem it so. As was the case in LA when police began disarming the law abiding citizens.

Once Florida reaffirmed its position on self defense and the use of deadly force, the NRA has stepped in to help overturn a law in Florida that prohibits an individual to bringing a weapon in their car to work and leave it locked and secured.

With an opening like this in the Florida Legislature and the citizenry as a whole, the NRA becomes opportunistic.

But with all this said, I think we are a long, long way from having Americans stripped of their right to keep and bear arms. There are just too many of us that will fight it.

But that doesn't mean we can sit idly by. We need to become proactive and do what we can to teach our children about the importance of gun rights, hunting and good family traditions.

The next time any of us are going hunting or fishing and can't decide whether to take one of the kids, don't think about it. Take them with you. It will be the best choice you can make in the long haul. Introduce them to guns and teach them the respect and safety and responsibility that goes with it.

With the NRA and the like focusing on some "Hunting heritage" BS as the justification for the 2nd ammendment, they will have nothing to justify private ownership of firearms with if hunting is gone. They should instead focus on the fact that the 2nd ammend.

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As a life member of the NRA, I feel I must defend it here.
The NRA is fighting for all gun rights, not just for those who hunt.
The rite to keep and bear arms has little to do with hunting, but everything to do with self defense and our rite to do so.

I have and will continue to support any groups that will fight for my rite to defend myself, not to support them is just what those who want to take our rites away want to see.

I will stand and fight with my face forward, those who oppose me will see in my eyes the true meaning of freedom.

There are still millions of people in this country who feel the way Lil John does about the right to keep and bear arms.
These same people know that the only way they can protect themselves from would be intruders etc. and to make sure we never have a government run by some ruthless dictator et. al is to make sure the masses remain armed.

The right to defend the nation and yourself/your propety is definately what the 2nd ammendment exists for. However, when the NRA talk about hunting heritage being a reason for gun ownership, they miss the mark completely. This allows antis to target a specific passtime, to erode the 2nd ammendment. In fact I believe that the 2nd ammendement has been erroded to the point to which it is time to :

"dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation." -Declaration of Independence

That is not to say that members of the NRA have somehow betrayed america, just the NRA needs to take a hardline stance of gun rights and why the 2nd ammendment is so important.

I agree with you Lil John no one will get my guns except bullets first.

My beef with the NRA is this, they refuse to push for the repeal of the National Firearms Act, the Assault Weapons Ban, etc. All of these are unconstitutional and grounds for rebellion. The NRA chooses instead to defend ownership of "assault weapons" by satating that they "no different from other semi-auto weapons" , well oh boy that really helps. They take the easy way out and don't address that these weapons, which we all know were designed for killing, are able to be posessed per the 2nd ammend. They say well, "these are not machine guns", who the hell cares, I should be able to posess a machine gun if I want to, hell if I want a cruise missle and have money for it, why the hell shouldn't I have one:

"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

It clearly says arms, not guns, not long guns, not anything but machine guns, ARMS. That includes nuclear weapons, tanks, missiles, explosives, howitzers, etc. The NRA chooses to ignore this fact, they a spineless like the rest of the politicians.[/b]

Understanding the history of how we got to this point helps. There was time when the battles being waged over gun rights were fierce and at times when more advocates for control were in power, these rights began to erode to the point they are at today. Actually, they have turned a corner and more gun rights are coming back to us ie. the allowing of the assault weapons ban to expire.

75 million Americans own guns in America. The vast majority of them believe as passionately as you do about retaining your Constitutional right. Rome wasn't built in a day and sometimes if you bite off more than you can chew, swallow and digest, you get ill and things go sour.

NRA is not the perfect entity but it is one in which we should work with to get back our rights - one bite at a time.

The politicials have unofficially declared gun rights a dead issue. This is good for all Americans. We can slowly but surely win back all our 2nd Amendment rights and all our other rights one chunk at a time being smart, educated and wise and utilize all the tools available to us - including the NRA.

As the old saying goes, "You don't have to fight with me but don't fight against me."

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